Chapter 32: The Greatest Thief Under Heaven

At that moment, the figure slowly lowered his head and took a deep breath. His expression was cold and indifferent, yet when facing the “Hero Trapped by the Cup,” that coldness quietly softened, replaced by a gentle and refined smile as he said, “I understand, you little rascal. I have no choice but to agree—I will help you assist your friend.”

“Ha ha, I knew you’d be willing to assist. Then it’s settled. As for the reward, we can discuss it later; everything will be based on your terms, and we’ll coordinate accordingly.”

The “Hero Trapped by the Cup” knew that at this point, there would be many responses concerning the reward from the person before him. He merely nodded slightly and turned to look at the parts displayed in the cabinet above. Seeing this, the hero turned back to Night Feather and nodded, clearly signaling that they could leave now.

Night Feather and the “Hero Trapped by the Cup” then left directly to reunite with the others before heading back to their gang’s territory. The area was mostly restored, and since it was Night Feather who proposed the merger, the entire gang had little objection—indeed, many supported it. After all, it was a major top-ten gang force, and with a formidable PvP expert like the “Hero Trapped by the Cup,” feared by all, their strength naturally rose to new heights.

However, the current numbers were not as many as before. Many members had chosen to leave following previous events, opting instead to join allied or affiliated forces.

“I suppose you used to live like an emperor, didn’t you? Everyone respected you immensely. If it weren’t for what happened before, things would still be the same now,” Night Feather said with a hint of envy—not mockery—but truly sensing the past.

The “Hero Trapped by the Cup” lazily basked in the warm sunlight, his face tinged with drowsiness. For now, it was safe; the merger still needed some time, but the gang’s territory remained secure without any further incursions.

Because it was now clear they were allied forces, they had completely opposed the other side.

Though many gangs continued vying for the top ten, the battles had yet to affect those ranks. Before the merger, everything remained peaceful.

…

Night Feather shrugged and smiled. “Our primary city is nearly completed. These matters were not too difficult.”

“Great Night, may I have a word with you privately?” “Flashy Cat” approached Night Feather and spoke softly.

With a courteous smile, Night Feather followed “Flashy Cat” to a secluded spot deep within the gang territory—a small garden with a gentle stream and a hill.

“Sorry to bother you, Great Night. I know you’re the only one in your team who’s easy to talk to, so I can only speak with you.”

“Flashy Cat” smiled awkwardly, lowering her voice.

Night Feather noticed that “Flashy Cat” was quite beautiful. Her ID was accompanied by a female avatar, indicating that her in-game appearance matched her real-world self perfectly. Her smile was gentle; when silent, she appeared quiet and refined. Her outfit, infused with Eastern elegance, perfectly embodied the essence of an Eastern beauty, like a flawless ink painting.

Her figure was well-proportioned—not overly voluptuous nor plain—featuring graceful curves that suited Night Feather’s preference in appearance, temperament, and style.

Her skin wasn’t flawless; subtle freckles adorned her face, proving she neither wore makeup nor used beautification tools provided by the game’s system—unlike other players who enhanced their appearance artificially.

“I have watched your battles before, Great Night, and you’re well known on this server. As a gang leader, you excel in every aspect. Especially your assistance in the battle with the Elder Witch was spectacular—it truly impressed me.”

Surprised, Night Feather was momentarily taken aback as “Flashy Cat” continued, “I couldn’t imagine that in the Bow class—against Sword class players in close combat—you could so effortlessly suppress them. Your fighting style far exceeded my expectations and fully realized the Bow class’s potential.”

Night Feather chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. “You flatter me. Are you just saying that to praise me?”

“Flashy Cat” gave a wry smile, shook her head, and then said, “Actually, I wanted to ask why you’re developing a new city in your supreme territory instead of seizing one of the unclaimed cities to build upon…”

“You mean, to launch a gang war and control the newly opened map areas?” Night Feather understood immediately and smiled.

“Yes. Your team is exceptionally strong, and with your rivals evenly matched, other gangs like ours can see that. Your individual strength is outstanding, and your gang’s power is naturally formidable. With your capabilities, it’s possible.”

Hearing this, Night Feather sighed softly, then smiled faintly. “Have you not heard what the Elder Witch said?”

“Flashy Cat” looked puzzled, for she hadn’t heard those words.

They sat down on a bench. Night Feather explained, “In this world, we can live freely. In reality, we are bound by constraints, but here, even if constraints exist, we have the chance to change the entire landscape.”

“Got it,” “Flashy Cat” said, though still somewhat confused.

Night Feather, surprised by her reaction, realized that the Elder Witch hadn’t shared these matters with her. So, when she heard it from Night Feather, she fell into deep thought and some doubt.

“The Elder Witch has already joined. You and your brothers can choose a time to join as well. Merging with them will only bring benefits, not hinder your development. We are quite harmonious, and regarding city finances, we can negotiate. I believe merging will be more convenient, less troublesome.”

“Here is a teleportation talisman that will take you directly to our city. Use it at the nearby NPC who handles teleportation. Give these to the brothers who wish to join,” Night Feather said, handing the talisman to “Flashy Cat.”

“Alright, I’ll discuss this with those willing to follow the Elder Witch right away.”

…

“We’ve calculated the resources needed to upgrade the city to level two. The blueprints for city buildings can be bought directly from the auction house on the server. After calculations, about 100,000 Chinese yuan is required, including full city upgrades and building enhancements,” Luo Feng reported to the group.

Upon hearing this, “Hero Trapped by the Cup” furrowed his brows. “That’s quite a sum. Though it seems manageable, 100,000 yuan isn’t a small matter. It won’t be easy.”

“Yes, that’s right. In the arena’s team battles, at level 50, the champion team receives 20,000 yuan as prize money. Even if we win first place in both individual and challenge battles, that’s only 60,000 yuan—still 40,000 short,” Night Feather mused, frowning.

Huang Hong shook his head slightly. “This won’t be easy. Winning championships in the level 50 to 60 range consistently is unrealistic. Remember the ladder system—many top players participate. Facing those with legendary equipment, winning the prize money is almost a pipe dream, let alone securing three championships.”

“Wait—if we bet on ourselves and pull off an upset, the prize money could exceed our expectations, right?” “Hero Trapped by the Cup” asked, hitting on a key point.

Night Feather shook his head dismissively. “Making money isn’t easy. Even at the highest odds, it’s tough. Think carefully about this—100,000 yuan!”

They needed to buy blueprints that enabled one-click building construction—a shortcut investment that would yield returns later. The game’s system allowed resource recycling, and the gambling system was purely luck-based. Half of the players’ bets are absorbed by the system, with the remainder distributed according to odds to winners.

“So, basically, we must win at least one championship to have a chance?” Night Feather pondered, stroking his chin. “Then rely on our own bets? We have only 30,000 yuan combined. Should we complete missions and commissions to raise the rest?”

“Let’s do it that way—but…” Luo Feng nodded in agreement.

Suddenly, Night Feather interrupted, “Have you considered why the Elder Witch has openly antagonized others? And why he swallowed up that small gang?”

Everyone realized the key issue and immediately set off to find members of that small gang.

…

They found the gang members, who didn’t understand why their small gang was to be absorbed, as they had no remarkable traits.

Night Feather inquired whether they had gained anything valuable, and the shocking conclusion was that they had fought a strange monster in a small dungeon—something like a notorious bandit.

The bandit looked bizarre, clad entirely in black with golden patterns swirling on his robes. On his back was a sack made of gold—very extravagant.

Night Feather immediately thought of a monster NPC from the game’s luck mechanics discussed on forums:

The World’s Number One Thief!

…